Beginning Anew

New Year’s Day provides the opportunity to begin anew.  Some people make New Year’s resolutions.  These are good, but many people find that those resolutions soon fall by the wayside.  With unfulfilled resolutions there is usually a sense of defeat and maybe even a little sadness. In this New Year let’s make our lives count in an even more significant way.  So you may ask, “how can I make my life count in a significant way?”  Consider the following suggestions:

1)    Make sure your life points to God.  This is the challenge the Apostle Paul made when he said, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (I Corinthians 10:31). Sharing good words and actions that are pleasing to God will put us on track for being a difference maker.

2)    Aim for godliness.  When keeping God central in our mind, we will grow spiritually and be an encouragement to others. The Apostle Paul tells us, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:6). Speech most effectively expresses what is inside a person and when that speech mirrors God’s character, positive change can be effective.

3)    Live to draw people to God.  When we live as a reflection of God’s light and show concern by loving people, they will be able to see the glory of Christ in us and be drawn to Him.  The Bible tells us, “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).  The ultimate goal is not to accomplish good deeds, but to help people take one step closer to the Lord.

Use this New Year as an opportunity to begin anew.  Make it your goal to focus on thinking, speaking, and acting in accordance with God’s name, and constantly letting the indwelling Christ be reflected to those around you.  The Bible reminds us, “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (II Corinthians 5:17, NLT).

A Resolution

Many people make a resolution at the beginning of the New Year.  Some people do not because they are afraid that they will not be able to keep the resolution they make.  However, I encourage everyone who reads this article to seriously consider making this resolution: “I resolve to revolve around Christ.”  As you make that resolution, I encourage you to consider a similar resolution the Apostle Paul made when he said, “All I want is to know Christ and to experience the power of his resurrection” (Philippians 3:10).

Notice three important aspects of this resolution:

1)    The resolution is singular in purpose – “all I want.”  It seems that when making a decision, lots of options could be helpful.  However, when too many options are available, decision-making becomes increasingly difficult.  For example, some fast-food chains purposely limit the items on their menu realizing that too many options often complicate decisions for people.  The Apostle Paul had an earnest desire that excluded everything in his life that was not essential.  At the same time, he was very much aware of those things that were of worth and had value.  How about you?  Are you ready to become singular in purpose in this New Year? 

2)    The resolution has a heavenly focus – “to know Christ.”  There is a Christian chorus about a person’s relationship with Christ entitled “The greatest thing in all my life is knowing You.”  The “You” to know, of course, is Christ and that was Paul’s focus.  Notice how the Amplified Bible paraphrases this same verse.  It says, “For my determined purpose is that I may know Him—that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly” (Philippians 3:10). How about having the goal of getting to know Christ better this New Year?

 3)    The resolution includes a dynamic encounter – “to experience the power.”  When astronauts sit on top of powerful booster rockets which thrust their Space Capsule into orbit, they experience a controlled power that is indescribable.  And yet this man-made power pales in comparison with the fantastic power that is available to the Christian.  Paul calls this resurrection power.  The power of God that brought Christ from the dead is the same kind of power the believer can experience.  In other portions of scripture, it is said that the individual who has a personal relationship with God has “been raised with Christ” (Colossians 3:1).  Are you ready for a dynamic on-going encounter with Christ in this New Year?

May this New Year be a year in which your resolution is to revolve around Christ and may you experience all the wonderful blessings He has in store for you as you get to know Him better and more intimately.

Beginning Anew

Each year, New Year’s Day brings with it the opportunity to begin anew.  Some people make resolutions but find that those resolutions soon fall by the wayside.  When that happens there is a sense of defeat and maybe even a little sadness. However, the New Year is a new opportunity for us to make our lives count.  So even though we are already into the new year it would be appropriate to ask the question, “how can I make my life count during this new year?"  Here are three suggestions:

1)    Make sure that everything you do points to God.  This is the challenge in the Bible that the Apostle Paul suggests when he says, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (I Corinthians 10:31).  Our emphasis should be on God and the things we do should be pleasing to Him.

2)    Focus on godly thoughts, words and actions.  This should be a driving force in our lives every day.  God should be central in our minds but also in our words and the actions we take.  The Apostle Paul also said, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:6). Speech most effectively expresses what is inside the believer. Our speech should mirror God’s character and conduct through love, patience and sacrifice.

3)    Live so people will be drawn to God.  When we live as a reflection of God’s light and concern ourselves with loving people, they will be able to see the glory of Christ in us and be drawn to God.  The Bible tells us, “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).  The ultimate goal is not just good deeds, but to help people be attracted to our Lord.

Even though we are into the month of January it is not too late to use this New Year as an opportunity to begin anew.  Focus on thinking, speaking and acting in accordance with God’s name, and constantly let the indwelling Christ be reflected to those around you.

 

New Beginnings

Once January 1^st rolls around, we experience the beginning of a new year and a new month.  Have you ever thought about things that have new beginnings?  In addition to the year and the month, every week has a new beginning; every day has two new beginnings – one in the morning and one in the afternoon; and every hour and minute has a new beginning.  There is the beginning of a new job, the beginning of school, the beginning of a relationship, the beginning of a meal, the beginning of a fast, the beginning of losing weight, the beginning of new resolutions, and on and on the new beginnings go.  Even the Bible speaks about a new beginning – “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).  With the click of a computer key in an electronic Bible you will discover 90 New International Version verses containing the word “beginning”. The following five verses suggest some things that could be a new beginning for you.

1)    New Birth.  “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (I Peter 1:3).  We can experience new birth by being born into God’s family when we put our trust in Christ as our savior from sin.

2)    New Life.  “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:4).  Once we experience new birth we are able to live the new life that God intended.

3)    New Command.  “A new command I give you: Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34).  With new life we walk to the beat of a different drum and not only experience God’s love for us, but are able to share His love with others.

4)    New Song.  “And they sang a new song: You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain and with your blood youpurchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9).  Everything that is new about our life ends up with a joyful song coming forth from our lips – even praise and adoration to our God.

5)    New Creation.  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come” (II Corinthians 5:17).  The Apostle Paul is quick to note that when we personally receive Christ everything that is old about our life has been done away with and we become completely new through and through.

As you enter the New Year, rejoice in the fact that God has brought you to another year.  But also evaluate your life to make sure you have experienced all the new things that God would have you enjoy.  By His Spirit, when you put your trust in Christ for your salvation from sin, you will become a new creation and then have opportunity to “Tell the people the full message of this new life” (Acts 5:20).

Launching Into the Future

As we launched into a new year, I began to think back to a number of launching experiences I have had over the years.  I’m sure you can identify with many of these because they are experiences that most everyone has.  I think of my first day of school, moving and attending a new school, going to high school, attending college, getting my first job, getting married, having children, getting my first full-time job in the area in which I had been educated, becoming a grandfather, and becoming a great-grandfather.  In all of these situations there was an element of the unknown.  I really did not know what the situation would be like until I had the experience.

As I thought of these common experiences, I also thought of my experience of backpacking in the Sierra Nevada Mountains when I lived in Central California.  Among other things there were four aspects of that new launching experience that were significant.  I had to (1) Have a desire to get involved, (2) Have a willingness to learn, (3) Have good information, and (4) Have an expert guide.

Isn’t this just what we need as we launch into a New Year: Involvement, learning, information, and guidance?   In the Bible it was the Apostle Paul who said, “For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).  He also said, “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (Philippians 3:10).  It seems that the four aspects of a new launching experience has more to do with a relationship than it does with a religion.

So, as we launch into the unknown this year it is important that we do so with our hands firmly placed in the hand of God.  We can look forward to the future with anticipation because we know that God already knows the future.  With God, Paul was confident of the future.  He said, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).  Join me as we launch into the future with the confidence we can have with God by our side.

God's Abiding Presence

The Bible says, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:5).  These were the comforting words God shared with Joshua as the Children of Israel headed into unknown territory.  He only asked them to trust Him, spend time in His Word, and be obedient to what He had to say.

You and I head into unknown territory as well.  Although we are well into the first month of 2019, most of the year is ahead of us.  And yes, what is ahead of us is unknown.  But we can be completely confident in God’s abiding presence.  Let’s not take His presence for granted, but as we continue through this year let’s do what he asked the Children of Israel to do—trust Him, spend time in His Word, and be obedient to what He has to say.  Here’s what the Bible says, “Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.  Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written it it.  Then you will be prosperous and successful” (Joshua 1:7-8).

The Gift that Keeps Giving

After December 25th our focus on the Christmas season is over.  Christmas lights are turned off, decorations are put away, Christmas carols no longer fill the air waves, and Christmas cards become a memory of
the past.  However, the opposite is true of the Biblical story of Christmas because God’s gift is continually available to us.  The gift of eternal life that God offers us through His Son, Jesus Christ is just the beginning.  Listen to these verses that reveal that this gift is for us today.

• “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).

• “Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.  Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13-14).
• “But when the kindness and love of God our savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.  He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, who he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:4-7).

Have you personally received the gift that God so graciously offers?  It can be yours.  “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him” (John 3:36).  Why not continue into the New Year with God’s wonderful gift of Christmas in your heart?